Breaking barriers: LGBTQI+ inclusion in Asia

Here is a look at a few examples of progress made in Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.

Prompting change in Sri Lanka: the rise of a transgender national union

IndustriALL’s affiliate NUMMS in Sri Lanka is actively supporting the formation of a transgender union, with the aim to create a more inclusive, equitable, and just society, where transgender workers can enjoy equal rights, dignity, and opportunities in the workplace and beyond.

In Sri Lanka, the fight for transgender rights has reached new heights as trade unions rally together to support the creation of a transgender national union. On May Day this year, at an important march for unions in Sri Lanka, transgender workers joined in the march hand in hand with trade unions with a common message:

“We demand rights for transgender individuals”

This transformative journey is shedding light on the struggles faced by transgender individuals and the resilience they demonstrate in pursuing their rightful place within the labour movement.

“Transgender individuals have no policies or laws protecting them in Sri Lanka. C190 came as an opportunity and allowed us to openly question policies of government and their agendas relating to transgender workers and their protection. The president of the transgender workers union is working hard on this topic, and we are supporting them,”

said Sulani Mendis, NUMMS organizer.

By actively engaging with transgender workers and their allies, trade unions in Sri Lanka are playing a pivotal role in dismantling discriminatory practices and advocating for comprehensive legal protections. NUMMS see the potential to reshape the landscape of labour rights for transgender individuals across the country.

Legislation is key to protect marginalised communities and a tool for unions to use and to fight for

Vipawan Boksantea, is a trade union organizer at the Thailand Auto Part and Metalworkers’ Union (TAM). She is also an active member of the CILT youth working group.

Vipawan at youth conference in the Philippines

“Seeing LGBTQI+ workers express themselves freely and inspire others makes my work worth it!”

says Vipawan.

Thailand has made notable progress in terms of recognizing and protecting the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals.

Thailand is known for being one of the more progressive countries in Asia when it comes to legal recognition of transgender individuals. In 2015, the government passed a Gender Equality Act, which provides legal protection against discrimination based on gender identity. Additionally, Thailand allows transgender individuals to change their legal gender on identification documents, allowing for recognition and acceptance.

While Thailand has made strides in advancing LGBTQI+ rights, challenges and discrimination still exist. Efforts to secure comprehensive legal protections, combat societal stigma, and promote further inclusivity are ongoing objectives for the LGBTQI+ community and their allies in Thailand.

The Thai government does not have an explicit ban or policy preventing LGBTI individuals from working in the public sector based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. But it still remains very conservative and relatively closed to LGBTQ+ workers.

Vipawan has thrived in a male dominated sector as a woman part of the LGBTQI+ community, she has benefitted from opportunities that never questioned her gender identity or sexual orientation but her skill as a worker and a trade union activist.

Legislation plays a big part in acceptance in communities and workplaces. As trade unions we have a role to play when it comes to pushing government and changing policies to make societies more inclusive and to ensure that all workers no matter their gender are protected.

Entering the workplace with your gender identity intact

TATA is one of India's biggest companies and plays an important role in the community in Jamshedpur, where its operations are spread.

The company has a complex history with unions and the workforce, marked by both conflict and cooperation. In recent years, TATA has demonstrated a commitment to engagement, cooperation, and employee welfare, reflecting a shift towards a more positive and productive relationship with its unions and workforce.

The TATA company has become a beacon of hope for LGBTQI+ workers seeking acceptance and equal opportunities in India. The company has implemented policies that prioritize inclusivity and foster a culture of respect.

IndustriALL met with a group of transgender workers and trainees at TATA’s training facilities in Jamshedpur, to understand how the company reached out to them and what has been put in place to make them an integral part of the workforce.

The company advertised the training course for LGBTQI+ community through job portals and NGOs throughout the country and actively reached out to advertise their training programme. The company also made efforts to help provide training for TATA employees, trainers, and staff on the shop floor to learn and accept this added diversity that would be introduced in the workforce. This would be an instrumental step in ensuring that the trainees were fully integrated in the workforce.

Yashasvi

“There is a lack of gender awareness, my family didn’t accept my coming out, and my education and future goal were impacted because I was not accepted. Then some people get into drug addiction and have no future at all.”

Rohan

“The workplace is more accepting now compared to 2022. The TATA mentorship programme and buddy system which allows us to share issues with our seniors has helped a lot. Coming out as transgender in 2017 meant that I had to leave school and enter the informal sector, which mostly consists of daily wage labour and gig work. I come from a small town in West Bengal where even wearing pants as a woman is not accepted.”

Shukla

“This is how I have always been, my mother thought that it would be something that would pass but it didn’t, this created issues at home regarding acceptance. I am from Kalkutta where I used to work in finance, people didn’t accept me in my previous workplace. I am fully accepted as myself in this workplace.”

“You enter TATA with your gender identity intact! This is extremely important,”

Raj

“My family accepted my transition, but I faced discrimination in college since my birth name was a female name. My peers were judgmental about my gender identity. I took up odd jobs in the informal sector, which was not easy at all, before applying to the training course at TATA.”

Aarav

“I experienced discrimination in my neighbourhood. My mother would be told that I was a girl behaving like a boy. I didn’t face violence but one day my father got angry and got rid of all of my male clothes. I couldn’t finish school and had to take up odd jobs to survive.”

Anubhav

“My elder brother is also trans man and that made me hide my identity growing up as I didn’t want my family to be troubled further. While growing up, I came in touch with a sports coach and trained as an athlete and even represented my province. This helped me quite a bit as I would spend a lot of time away from my family and neighborhood’s discriminatory gaze.

IndustriALL’s affiliate in TATA is not only bolstering the company’s effort to create safe spaces for trans workers but are also exploring avenues to include trans workers in union structures to make organizations more inclusive. TATA is doing its part in terms of its duty of care towards employees and workers must build on this.

Creating more inclusive unions should not be a goal – it should be a reality

Unions can be catalysts for change in advancing LGBTQI+ inclusion in the workplace and society at large. By challenging discriminatory practices, fostering awareness, and creating safe spaces, these unions are laying the foundation for a future where all workers can thrive regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Unions, sometimes together with employers, can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone. The experiences of LGBTQI+ workers who have found empowerment and recognition prove that diversity enhances productivity and can contribute to a prosperous future for employers and workers.

Creating more inclusive unions should not be a goal but a reality because the workforce is already changing. Workers are already diverse, and unions must take their issues seriously. Unions have to have inclusive structure as it will ensure they are at the forefront of workers’ struggles of today.

"Unions have to stand up for all working people whatever their background. As unions we need the biggest collective possible to win good collective agreements and good working conditions, These examples from Sri Lanka, Thailand and India show a very strong commitment to including LGBTQI+ workers to strengthen these communities, but also to strengthen the trade union movement in general. We need more examples like this."

Says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

Net Zero Authority in Australia to ensure just transition for workers

On 5 May, the Australian government announced the establishment of a national Net Zero Authority, based on extensive consultation with workers, unions and community representatives in energy regions already grappling with changes caused by decarbonisation.

The national Net Zero Authority will support workers in emissions-intensive sectors to access new employment, skills and other support as needed, and support energy regions to diversify.

It means that the future of workers in emissions-intensive facilities facing closure won’t be left up to employer programmes and local jobs markets. The Authority will have powers to support workers into new jobs and to facilitate investment in affected communities to create the good jobs of the future.

The Authority will also coordinate programmes and policies across the Australian government to support regions and communities to attract and take advantage of new clean energy industries and set those industries up for success as well as help investors and companies to engage with net zero transformation opportunities.

IndustriALL affiliate MEU has been campaigning for a transition authority for some years and welcome the establishment.

“We know from looking around the world energy transition can be done well or poorly, with consequent positive or devastating outcomes for energy-dependent regions. With this announcement, Australia is setting out on a path of doing energy transition well,”

says MEU general president Tony Maher.

“The government has listened and taken action to make sure that workers and communities, who are reliant on emissions-intensive industries, aren’t left to bear the brunt of national efforts to address climate change.”

Says Tony Maher.

Diana Junquera Curiel, the IndustriALL director for the energy industry and just transition says

“this is a great example of what can be achieved when workers and unions are part of the Just Transition conversation. We hope that the Authority will help the energy transition in the country to become a real just transition for all.”

Workers strike for better wages at ArcelorMittal Liberia

After the deadlock, the union went to the National Labour Court where it was awarded a five per cent wage increase. Management refused to comply with the court ruling and the workers went on strike to push for their demands. The court has urged both parties to negotiate the collective bargaining agreement.

UWUL said it was shocked to find out that two workers employed on the same day and with the same experience and skills were paid different wages. The union says this is against the principle of equal-pay-for-work-of-equal value that it wants the company to implement. UWUL says the management is practising nepotism through the employment of friends and relatives in violation of the collective bargaining agreement.

“We approached the Ministry of Labour for mediation on the stalemate before approaching the courts. Although the Labour Court ruled in our favour, the management is not budging. This is why we are still on strike and will continue the collective job action until the management comes to the negotiating table,”

says Dave Seneh, UWUL general secretary who is coordinating the strike.

“We call on ArcelorMittal to intervene and call upon its management at ArcelorMittal Liberia to resume contact with UWUL which has not been the case in the last week and re-establish a dialogue with the union in good faith, receptive to the fair demands of workers, and willing to implement in full the collective bargaining agreement,”

says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

UWUL hopes the strike will be settled by an offer which is acceptable to workers, as what happened when ArcelorMittal South Africa signed a three-year collective agreement with the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA). In the deal the workers got a 6.5 per cent annual wage increase for three years, increases in allowances, and other benefits. But the South African wage deal, signed on 8 May, came after talks were deadlocked and NUMSA had announced preparations for the “mother of all strikes” at ArcelorMittal.

AML employs 3,000 workers at its iron ore mines at Yekepa and Bong mines and is expanding its mining operations through building processing plants. It also runs a railway, operates a port terminal, and is the largest foreign investor in Liberia with over US$1.7 billion invested in its businesses in the last 15 years.

Photo: Workers parked the trucks as part of the protest

Trade unions fight for workers’ rights

Workers’ rights across the globe, are under attack and trade unions play a huge role in defending workers and fighting to make their lives better.

In South Korea government authorities interfere in legitimate trade union activities and workers’ rights, even though the country ratified ILO Conventions 89 and 98 in 2021. On May Day Yang Hoe-Dong, a district leader of the Korean Construction Workers Union (KCWU), tragically set himself on fire to protest harassment of trade unionists by government authorities.

Unions in Thailand are calling on the government to implement ILO Convention 87 on freedom of association and the protection of the right to organize, and ILO Convention 98 on the right to organize and bargain collectively. However, the Thai government argues that the conventions cannot be ratified until domestic labour laws are amended and national security concerns addressed.

The ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work is a commitment by governments, employers' and workers' organizations to uphold basic human values. Adopted in 1998 and amended in 2022, the Declaration commits member states to respect and promote eight fundamental principles and rights in five categories, whether or not they have ratified the relevant Conventions.

Health and safety is a fundamental principle and right at work, adopted by the ILO in 2022. Shipbreaking is considered to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. This year is crucial for improving safety, because Bangladesh has committed to ratifying the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC). When the Convention enters into force, it will create a health and safety baseline that will drive up conditions and transform the lives of shipbreaking workers on the subcontinent and elsewhere.

IndustriALL's global campaign for the ratification and implementation of ILO C176 – Safety and Health in Mines Convention, 1995, is a fundamental pillar of IndustriALL’s Strategic Approach to OSH in the Mining Industry, the Trade Unions Save Lives effect. In recent years Pakistan has become a country of focus for the global campaign and good progress is being made with social partners in Pakistan with the help of the ILO Pakistan country office and ILO headquarters.

We need to work together to fight for workers’ rights and achieve a #justfuture.

G20 discussions on Just Transition must include unions

Priority areas for discussions include energy transition through addressing technology gaps, low-cost financing for energy transition, fuels for future, energy security and diversified supply chains, energy efficiency, industrial low carbon transitions and responsible consumption, and universal access to clean energy and just, affordable, and inclusive energy transition pathway.

The aim of the meeting is to ‘identify collective actions to promote equitable, shared, and inclusive growth’.

Apoorva Kaiwar, IndustriALL Global Union regional secretary, says:

“Equitable and inclusive growth cannot be attained without taking into account workers’ experiences and perspectives. It’s highly condemnable that the Indian government has refused to engage with trade unions on the issue of Just Transition.”

The ITUC and unions from across the G20 countries have also denounced the Indian government’s decision to interrupt the participation of independent trade unions in G20 and instead have Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) chair the L20 meetings. BMS is the Hindu nationalist trade union centre linked to the right-wing ruling party in the country.

SQ Zama, secretary general of IndustriALL affiliate Indian National Mineworkers’ Federation, says:

“The government of India is not concerned about workers at all. It is evident in the changes made to labour laws as well as in the complete absence of trade union voices in energy transition discussions. Our union has been calling on the government to engage with trade unions and to put climate change and Just Transition on the agenda of all discussions regarding coal mining in the country.”

India’s position on Just Transition remains ambiguous. In its submission on the Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, during COP27, the government stated that it will focus on the ‘rational utilization of national resources with due regard to energy security’.

According to the latest media reports, the Ministry of coal has set a target of one billion tonnes of coal production by 2023-24, most of which is to be achieved through private coal mining.

Photo credit: © ILO/J. Urmila 2018

Zimbabwean unions demand pro-worker trade policies

The conference, organized by IndustriALL Global Union Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), UNISON, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), heard that Zimbabwe is endowed with minerals that are in high demand because of the energy transition. The country has the sixth largest lithium reserves globally and second largest platinum group metals as well as other minerals. But there were mineral governance deficits and illicit financial flows. This led to loss of benefits to the economy through resource-led industrialization said delegates who include those from PSI and ITUC-Africa.

The policy conference’s theme: making trade work for workers – Trade, Investment, Industrialization, and decent work with special reference to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The event is one of the activities being carried out by the IndustriALL SSA as part of the trade and African industrialization campaign.

The conference discussed inclusion of labour provisions and the decent work agenda with emphasis on ILO fundamental rights at work. Economic development and industrialization strategies that contribute towards regional value chains in mining and metals, automotive, energy, chemical, textile, garment shoe and leather, and public services must be promoted. Youth and women representation in the sectors was identified as key.

With most Zimbabwean workers now eking a living in the informal sector emphasis was put on the transition from informal to formal sectors. Illicit financial flows which included smuggling and under invoicing of minerals could be curbed under the African Minerals Governance Framework.

“Too many trade deals prioritise the already extensive rights of international corporations over the right to decent work and quality public services. It’s why this conference and ZCTU’s work on trade are vital, and why we need to fight globally for public services to be excluded from trade deals and protected from private investor courts,”

said Mark Beacon, UNISON, international officer.

Florence Taruvinga, ZCTU president says,

“with most trade agreements including the AfCFTA not talking about labour provisions, we have a lot of work to do as trade unions. We must demand for these provisions from the African Union, our national governments, and even from the Chinese with whom our countries have signed bilateral agreements with.”

Kemal Ozkan, IndustriALL assistant general secretary said:

“We need a new narrative on Zimbabwean trade and industrialization. This narrative should talk about what works for workers, a new society, regional integration, a rich African continent with sufficient resources, and robust industrial sectors that add value to regional value chains that contribute to economic growth and development.”

Latin American pulp and paper unions launch cooperation project with Belgian federation

The event was held on 19 and 20 April in Montevideo, Uruguay. Leaders of trade union organisations from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru met with representatives of the ACV-CSC BIE federation from Belgium, to discuss the sector’s situation in the region, to present their concerns and to initiate talks on developing a cooperation project.

IndustriALL director for the pulp and paper sector, Tom Grinter, said at the opening of the event:

“The pulp and paper sector is a large and important sector. The idea of the meeting was to be able to plan a regional project for the coming years with support from Belgium. To achieve this, we convened a group of trade union leaders from Latin America who will be able to coordinate their work to strengthen trade union solidarity.”

Jan Franco of ACV-CSC BIE explained that international trade union solidarity is important to his federation and that is why they are working with the ITUC, BWI, UNI Global Union and IndustriALL Global Union. He said that their aim is to promote a project in Latin America and, to do so, he feels it is essential that they know about the interests and concerns of the region’s pulp and paper unions.

The participants engaged in a strategic discussion on how best to take advantage of the new partnership opportunity. They agreed to work together on a regional action plan to address various issues of interest to them, such as the need for companies to implement sustainable practices and to use natural resources responsibly.

IndustriALL’s vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, Lucineide Varjão, said:

“The aim of this working group will be to agree on a regional agenda with cross-cutting issues for all the countries, such as future trends that may affect the region, be it the supply of the resources needed for the activity, technological changes or shifts in consumer behaviour that may affect or alter the sector’s manufacturing objectives.”

The participants agreed that they will work as a project coordination group and that towards the end of the year they will convene a face-to-face meeting where they will establish the issues to be addressed with the project for the coming years. They also visited the CMPC Softys plant, where they toured the facilities, talked with company representatives and learned about the work with the local trade union.

IndustriALL’s regional secretary, Marino Vani, concluded:

“The meeting was very productive and we were able to draw some good conclusions. This group is going to coordinate the work in the sector and the project with the Belgian unions over the coming years. We are going to build a common agenda that includes environmental issues, community issues and the results that the industry can deliver for our society. We have to think about how to improve on the sector’s production organisation and its industrial sustainability.”

Trade unions versus LGBTphobia

As a global union federation representing 50 million workers, IndustriALL has a responsibility to ensure that workplaces are safe and inclusive for all workers, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. This is not only a basic human right, but it is also a key factor in creating a productive and harmonious work environment.

The Council of Global Unions (CGU) is calling on all affiliates to show support for the LGBTI community locally and globally. This could include organizing events or activities to raise awareness of the issues facing LGBTI workers, distributing educational materials, or partnering with local LGBTI organizations to show solidarity and build relationships.

A webinar will be organized on 17 May at 16:00 CEST:

Join and register for the webinar: Trade Unions vs LGBTphobia


ENGLISH	FRENCH	SPANISH	THAI

Speakers include Cleve Jones, LGBTI rights leader and union organizer from the USA, and other trade union activists like Vipawan Boksantea from IndustriALL Global Union affiliate the Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand – CILT.

“It is important that we continue to work towards creating more inclusive policies and practices in our workplaces, such as ensuring equal benefits and protections for LGBTI workers and providing resources and support for those who may be facing discrimination or harassment.
Let’s use this day as an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work. Together, we can make a difference and create a better future for all workers.”

Says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

The LGBTI workers website shares the work of global unions promoting LGBTI rights at work at national, regional, and international levels. The website is also a place for unions to share what they are doing to promote LGBTI rights, providing a dedicated space where trade union members from all over the world can discuss LGBTI issues and what they and their unions are doing to build a more tolerant and discrimination-free world.

Fact Sheets:

The Council of Global Unions condemns flagrant worker rights’ violations in South Korea that led to the tragic death of Yang Hoe-Dong

It is unacceptable that this repression continues, despite South Korea having acceded to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and ratified International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No.87 on freedom of association and Convention No.98 on collective bargaining two years ago.

On May Day, Yang Hoe-Dong, a district leader of the Korean Construction Workers Union (KCWU), tragically set himself on fire to protest harassment of trade unionists by government authorities. Yang, one of the victims of that harassment, sadly passed away from complications of severe burns.

Yang left a message before his self-immolation saying that, although he had carried out his union duties lawfully, he had been charged with obstruction of business, coercion, and extortion. The self-immolation of Yang is reminiscent of the darkest years in the labour history of South Korea.

The false criminal charges of coercion and extortion against trade unionists stem from the anti-union policy of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government. The government uses not social dialogue but the police forces in industrial relations. In the construction sector, the police launched a special investigation targeting unions, only to criminalise normal trade union activities. Following the President’s anti-union language, comparing construction unions with organized criminals at construction sites, the police intentionally used this logic to smear the union, devastating the dignities of union leaders. Yang was one of the 950 union officials summoned by the police during the special investigation and currently 16 of them are detained with such criminal charges.

The government’s anti-union repression is not just limited to the construction sector, restrictive definitions in the labour law mean everyday trade union activities are being criminalised. For example, a strike of cargo truck drivers was declared illegal in November 2022. Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) foisted a 47 billion KRW (approximately USD 35.6 million or EUR 32.3 million) lawsuit on five union leaders relating to missed production targets during a strike. A clear retaliation aimed to chill subcontracted workers’ exercise of fundamental union rights.

Despite clear recommendations from the ILO, UN Treaty bodies, and the Expert Panel established as part of the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Government continues to block any amendment to the Trade Union and Labour Relation Adjustment Act to bring it in line with international standards.

Furthermore, the Yoon administration has initiated a systematic smear campaign against trade unions based on groundless allegations of corruption and administrative irregularities. The CGU has noted with great concern that the authorities are interfering into the management and activities of trade unions, demanding submission of copies of trade union budgets and amendment of trade union constitutions. These are serious violations of the right to freedom of association under ILO Convention No.87.

President YOON Suk-yeol’s union-bashing rhetoric and illegitimate use of public prosecutors and police to attack trade unions has set a national tone that is echoed on the ground in workplaces across the country with increasingly violent attacks against trade unionists. On 4 May 2023, a manager of ILJIN Hysolus, which is a supplier of Hyundai Motor and BMW, rammed his car into local trade union leaders hitting 3 of them and causing serious injuries to the union’s vice chair.

The CGU condemns the criminalisation of trade union activity and the raids of trade union offices led by the Yoon administration. We call on the South Korean Government to meet their international obligations, fully respect the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining and end their repression of the South Korean Trade Union movement.

The CGU demands the release and withdrawal of all charges against workers who have been detained for exercising their fundamental trade union rights. We further urge the government to cease all acts of smearing and criminalisation against trade unionists which are not constructive to establishing stable industrial relations but rather create a climate of fear and intimidation inimical to workers exercising rights protected by domestic and international law.

Organising is a right, not a crime.

The CGU stands with the South Korean trade union movement in their ongoing struggle for freedom and justice. It sends its condolences to the wife and children of Yang Hoe-Dong as well as to his trade union family.

Minera Panama is violating workers’ rights

IndustriALL Global Union general secretary, Atle Høie, has written to the CEO of First Quantum Minerals Ltd., Tristan Pascall, to warn him that his company is violating workers’ fundamental rights.

He also cautioned that the company is in breach of its human rights due diligence obligations by discriminating against the leaders of the Sindicato Industrial de Trabajadores de la Construcción de Minas y Desarrollo de la Minera (STM), an affiliate of Convergencia Sindical (CS) in Panama, and by preventing them from carrying out their legitimate trade union activities.

Høie urged the company to take the measures required to reverse the acts of discrimination against the STM and to ensure full respect for the right to freedom of association. The STM informed IndustriALL that Minera Panama is violating the workers’ right to freely form and join organisations of their own choosing, which is a right enshrined in the standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The union organisation condemned the company’s unfair dismissal of STM union leaders, as well as its refusal to reinstate the general secretary, Osvaldo Tallet, to the same position and with the same conditions he enjoyed prior to his dismissal, and its insistence on assigning him duties not stipulated in his contract.

The union also pointed out that the company is discriminating against Tallet and another STM leader by not covering their accommodation expenses as it does for the other workers being employed at a mine in an isolated area. Additionally, three other union leaders are being denied access to the mine, preventing them from holding meetings and assemblies with their members and the other workers. And three active members who recorded videos in support of the STM as part of the union’s recruitment campaign have suffered reprisals and are unable to report for work at the mine.

The workers also argue that the company used tactics to delay its compliance with several Panamanian Supreme Court rulings and continued to repeatedly violate the right to freedom of association. For the STM, the violations come at a key moment, when the labour authorities are in the midst of deciding which of the two unions at the company will negotiate the collective bargaining agreement.

In his letter to Tristan Pascall, Atle Høie, said:

“First Quantum’s actions represent a serious violation of the fundamental right to freedom of association. Anti-union discrimination represents one of the most serious violations of freedom of association, as it can jeopardise the very existence of trade unions. We urge you to take the necessary steps to reverse the acts of discrimination against the STM and to ensure full respect for the right to freedom of association.”